Tam Cốc – Bích Động Cave

Address: Tam Cốc-Bích Động area, Ninh Bình Province, Vietnam

Hours: Daily 7:00am-6:00pm (approx.; local gates and services vary)

Admission: ~120,000 VND (~$5) combined ticket (prices may vary)

Tam CC 280 3 Bedch 0 ng is a scenic karst landscape and cultural site in Ninh Binh province, northern Vietnam, centred on a river that passes through limestone caves and a hillside pagoda complex. The name Tam CC means “three caves,” a direct reference to the three main caverns on the boat route.

The site is best known for the flat-bottomed boat rides through three caves - Hang Ca, Hang Hai and Hang Ba - along a roughly 1.5912 km river route that threads between towering karst towers and rice paddies. Adjacent on a limestone outcrop is the Bedch 0 ng Pagoda complex, a series of lower, middle and upper shrines built into the rock with steps and viewpoints over the surrounding plain.

Bedch 0 ng has developed as a religious and local pilgrimage site over many centuries and has been repaired and maintained in successive periods; the rivers and caves are purely natural karst features shaped by river erosion. The scenic cluster has grown into a major day-visit destination from nearby towns.

The area sits a short distance southwest of the former imperial capital of Hoa Lu and about 7 km from Ninh Binh city, on the lowland plain of northern Vietnam where karst towers rise abruptly from rice cultivation.

• Best time to visit: Peak scenery coincides with the rice-growing season in late spring to early summer, when paddies are green or flooded for planting.
• Boat trip length: Boat trips are operated from small flat-bottomed boats rowed by locals and typically take between 30 minutes and one hour depending on the route.

What to See#

• Tam CC caves: A river and cave system where small rowboats pass through three named caves - Hang Ca, Hang Hai and Hang Ba - on a meandering route of roughly 1.5-2 kilometres.
• Bedch 0 ng pagoda complex: A hillside pagoda complex of three levels (lower, middle and upper) built into limestone karst; the upper pagoda is reached by steps and provides elevated views over the karst plain and rice fields.

Tam Cốc-Bích Động is about 7-10 km from Ninh Bình city centre and roughly 100-120 km south of Hanoi. From Ninh Bình railway station take a taxi or local bus to Tam Cốc; many visitors use day tours from Hanoi that include return transport.

• Book a sampan (flat-bottomed boat) early in the morning to avoid the midday crowds and for softer light in photos.
• Sit in the middle of the boat for a more stable ride through the caves - the wooden boats are small and led by a single rower.
• Climb up to Bích Động Pagoda to see the layered complex of grotto-temples; the view down to the rice paddies is best in late afternoon.